Audiophiles: Harman Kardon or Marantz.........

[CumminsPuller]

I have been struggling with which receiver to purchase. The Marantz SR6300 or the Harman Kardon AVR525. Both are last years models. The Marantz does not have component video connections. Seems to me you would just connect your DVD directly to the TV instead of using the receiver to swith it for you. Just curious if you guys have any preferences, one over the other? I know both companies are very good. With the Marantz with slightly better piece of equipment from what I have gathered.



Jason

 

[BarryG]

I can't speak to the models you are asking about but both brands are good. I have a Marantz reciever that is over 25 years old that I bought at a scratch and dent open box sale from a big electronics store in the 70's. That thing has seen some major abuse and has been dropped more than once during moves and it still works great. So much so that I have never replaced it, just no reason too. Granted it doesn't have some of the features that the newer ones do that might be nice but it still sounds great.

 

[Rman]

I would go with Denon myself. The Denon 5803 is one fine piece of equipment. More toward your price range is a Denon 2803 which still performs very well.



The HK you listed puts out 70w per which if clean is respectable. The Marantz put out 100w per. More power generally means its "better", but clean power is better than noisy, disruptive power.



I would take in a DVD of your choice, and compare the two. Sit down in the theatre room and blast away. Most places should be able to let you do this.



I've owned HK before, but there products are slanted a bit toward the low end scale now and there quality has gone south in my opinion. It looked to me like the HK had a few more bells and whistles where the marantz was kind of plain jane. Marantz is really known for its high end equipment and probably doesn't even produce that one, they just put there name on a cheaper competitors unit.



Good luck, if you need more info contact me, I'm a bit of a audiophile nut.

 

[loncray]

I bought a bunch of stuff in Germany back in the '80's, and most of it was Yamaha. When the power amp died (after about 12 years of hard service), I bought a HK receiver - that sucker lasted less than 2 years before deciding that the main speakers don't really need to be heard. I can't speak to the quality of Marantz, but my opinion of Harmon Kardon is pretty low.

 

[snowracer69]

I bought my parents the HK that you're asking about for their surround sound system. It's a great receiver and does everything they need it to. Could have got higher quality speakers for their system, but it definitely sounds good as it is. I looked at the Denon stuff too, but it was just out of the price range I was trying to stay in.

 

[CumminsPuller]

Here is a thread I started over on audioreview.com. This is tough sorting out all the features and so forth. But then again, how many people actually use every single feature in a HT Receiver? Here is the link to the thread I started: http://forums.audioreview.com/showthread.php?postid=9836



Jump in and help... ... ... . lol



Jason

 

[Dane]

The Marantz does not have component video connections.

Yes, never route the video through the receiver unless you have to. It DOES degrade the signal a bit. Doing it this way will limit your video sources to how many inputs there are on the back of the TV. The shortest video cables are also best. Don't use the cables that come with the equipment, buy the premium stuff for your video signals. Make sure you're using progressive scan if the equipment can handle it. Don't forget to enable DTS in the DVD player, they usually default it to off from the factory.



A programmable (macros) remote will help alot because you can select the proper inputs/outputs without using the individual remotes. I like Pronto the best cause the macros are easy and it's cheap.



As far as which piece of hardware is better, most of them are so close it would be hard to tell the difference in an A/B test. BUT... If you do route the video through the receiver, the expensive ones work much better and having componant video switching usually means a better quality receiver.



How do I know this stuff? I was install manager for a custom home theater business for 2. 5 years.

 

[Bob Wagner]

I have 2 Marantz receivers from the 70's zero problems since day one. You should see my Marantz 2385 its awesome

 

[CumminsPuller]

Bob, I have been looking at the older Marantz's on e-bay. I sure love the look of those old vintage stereos.



Jason

 

[MSalvatore]

which reciever

I have had denon and maranz. both are great but if your building a home theatre or listening to 2 channel I would go with B&K. In my opinion it is the best reciever without going to seperate components, although not cheap for 7ch. but well worth it.

 

[nickleinonen]

like said above, run the component direct to the tv/monitor unless you do not have enough inputs [dvd, hdtv, ps2, xbox... ] then component switching is nice. also, some models that have the component inputs also do component upconverting, so if you are running an exotic display [projector/plazma/lcd... ] you can simplify your wiring to the display by just having one set of component wires going there instead of composite and s-video also...



i like my denon avr-5700...



just a note, dsp modes are junk, 5/7channel stereo is something that you will end up using often [if you have a large space... ]



i have a 2nd job where i deliever/install home theater systems and tv's on the weekend. the most often complaint is "how come there is no sound out of the rear speakers when listening to radio/cd/mp3/lp/cassette?" and i'll put it in a dsp mode or prologic and they complain about the echo/effect. then i'll tell them to get one with 5 channel stereo. all denon's have it, many others have it too... but if you like to have the room full of music, instead of sitting and listening to stereo, the 5 ch stereo is great

 

[dieselpilot1969]

Originally posted by CumminsPuller

I have been struggling with which receiver to purchase. The Marantz SR6300 or the Harman Kardon AVR525. Both are last years models. The Marantz does not have component video connections. Seems to me you would just connect your DVD directly to the TV instead of using the receiver to swith it for you. Just curious if you guys have any preferences, one over the other? I know both companies are very good. With the Marantz with slightly better piece of equipment from what I have gathered.



Jason

Check out sunfire, made by carver. spendy but worth it

 

[SmokinU]

Marantz is some very high quality stuff. I myself run Yamaha's RX-777 its the top of the line 2 channel receiver, and the sound is crystal clear.



Brandon